


All I Want for Christmas (Is You)

by blindinglights



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Hale Family, Alternate Universe - Human, Christmas, Domestic Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, Single Parent Stiles Stilinski, Writer Derek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-25
Updated: 2014-12-25
Packaged: 2018-03-03 09:48:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2846645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blindinglights/pseuds/blindinglights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek meets Stiles in a department store while shopping for his family, after seeing a little girl crying for her Dad on the floor. They part ways and Derek doesn’t think he’ll see Stiles again. Beacon Hills may not be that big, but it still doesn’t mean he’ll ever run into Stiles, because that’s just not how Derek’s life works. Despite what Erica tries to tell him whenever she can, that sometimes fate can happen, Christmas miracles, whatever, it won’t. </p><p>(Or, the one where Stiles is a single dad, Derek falls for him, and Christmas ends up better than Derek expected.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	All I Want for Christmas (Is You)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tempe_harding](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tempe_harding/gifts).



> Written for the Sterek Haven Secret Santa. 
> 
> Merry Christmas, everyone! I enjoyed writing this and I really hope the person I wrote this for likes it! 
> 
> (Also, not super important, but when writing this I pictured Derek looking how Hoechlin currently does, with the longer hair.)
> 
> Thank you to howl-to-the-wind.tumblr.com for the beta and for beta'ing this last minute! 
> 
> Note: Please do NOT put this on Goodreads!

There’s someone crying in a nearby aisle. Derek can hear it, the little hiccupping breaths and, “Daddy where are you?” being wailed out as loud as the child can. Derek whirls around the corner, down a packed aisle where there are countless other kids and parents all clamoring to buy Barbies and Hot Wheels race track sets. In the midst of all the chaos is a little girl who looks to be about three or four years old, red faced and crying out for her dad, looking terrified. 

Derek rushes over, bending down until he’s on her level and asks gently, “You okay? Where’s your Daddy?”

The little girl looks up at him, her big brown eyes clouded with tears. She sniffles once, rubbing the sleeve of her shirt against her nose. “I don’t know,” and then like an afterthought, “I’m not supposed to talk to strangers. Grandpa and Daddy say it’s bad.”

Derek nods. “It is. You’re right. Do you remember where you last saw your Dad?” 

She cocks her head to the side, her hand rubbing against her chin as she thinks about it. “I think it was by the video games,” she answers. 

That’s clear toward the back of the store, far enough away from where they currently are. He wonders if, in her excitement, she ran off toward the toys. Laura’s kids have done that countless times before, especially at this age. He wouldn’t be surprised.

“We’ll find your daddy. Can you tell me your name?” he asks.

She juts her bottom lip out in a pout. “But I’m still not supposed to talk to strangers, Mister.”

Derek opens his mouth to say something, something that’s in agreement, but also maybe something like ‘ _yeah, but there’s bad people out there_ ’ and that he’d feel responsible if he didn’t at least try to help. She’s just a kid, and he feels that same protective streak he feels with Laura’s kids. But there’s a shout of, “Olivia!” and a man running down the aisle, not even caring that he’s bumping into all the other parents, until he’s standing in front of them, his hands on his knees as he tries to get breath back into his lungs. 

“Daddy!” she shouts.

“Please don’t do that again, you scared me,” the man says. “I looked up and then you were gone.”

“I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad,” she says. “I just wanted to look at the Frozen dolls. But I can’t find ‘em.”

Derek stands up, shaking his head a little, because he was right about what happened. 

“I’m just happy you’re okay, kiddo,” the kid’s dad says, and then he finally notices Derek standing there. “Hi,” he says, holding out a hand. “I, uh, didn’t notice you there. I mean, I did, because wow, but she’s everything to me and--”

Derek shakes the offered hand. “I get it,” he cuts him off with a wave of his hand. “She’s your daughter. She should be your top priority.”

“Um, right.” The guy smiles. “I’m Stiles.”

“Stiles?”

“Yes, Daddy is Stiles!” she says, swinging her Daddy’s arm around. “His real name is really weird. Grandpa says Grandma wanted it, so they named him it because he could never say no.”

Stiles laughs and god, that’s an amazing sound, but now is not the time to be interested. He doesn’t even know if Stiles has a wife, or a girlfriend. “Yeah, you don’t want to know my real name. And you are?”

“Derek,” he says. 

“Well, Derek, thank you for staying with her,” Stiles tells him. 

“I heard her crying and she was all alone. It was the least I could do,” Derek says. 

Stiles ruffles his daughter’s hair, her smile turning into classic irritated face at it. “Again, thank you. She can be a handful.”

“My sister Laura, her kids are the same way, so I understand.”

“I’m not a handful,” she disagrees with a pout, staring up at her Dad, her arms crossing in front of her chest. 

“Frozen dolls are in the next aisle. Uncle Scott should be there now with your cousins, okay? I just let him know where to meet you at,” Stiles tells her. “And don’t move away from there, you hear me?” he calls after her as she runs off. Stiles sighs. “Do you have any kids?”

Derek shakes his head. “None, just horrible nieces and nephews.” That he wouldn’t trade for the world, even when Laura’s oldest decides to eat too much sugary treats and give Derek the worst time in the world, hyper-active and disobedient. 

Stiles laughs. “Let me guess, they make sure to give their Uncle Derek a hard time?”

Derek simply nods, wants to open his mouth to say more, but Derek can hear Stiles’ daughter and a bunch of other little kids yelling for Stiles to hurry up. Stiles lets out a sigh, running a hand through his hair.

“I think that’s my cue to get over there,” Stiles tells him, “but thanks again for that, you hear horror stories on TV and my dad’s the Sheriff, so I freaked out. But uh, thanks for watching out. Take care, Derek.” 

And then Stiles is gone, and Derek is left standing in the aisle, still swarmed by other parents and kids, and wishes he said more. _Did_ more maybe, but doesn’t know what. They just met. He doubts it would’ve been okay to give some stranger his number, just because he was attractive and nice and everything Derek dreamed about. Someone like that probably has someone waiting for him at home.

\--

Derek almost forgets about Stiles and his daughter and about the entire incident at the store from the other day, what with how much work he has to do, a book he needs to finish before February (that he needs to get done on time, because Lydia has been on his case to stay on schedule), presents he still needs to wrap, and with Christmas fast approaching and the New Year along with it. He doesn’t let himself stop to think about it until he’s slumped into a dining chair in Erica’s dining room, Boyd setting food down on the table, and Erica eyeing him like she knows every secret and thought currently running through his head. Which she probably does, because between Derek’s sisters, mother and friends, Erica is one of the few people who know him best. 

“So, what’s going on, Derek?” she asks, taking a sip of her wine. 

“Nothing,” Derek says.

“Liar,” she says. “You’ve got that look about you.”

Derek sighs. “I’m fine, just tired. It’s that time of the year. I have a deadline approaching and then there’s Christmas.”

“There’s something else.”

“Fine,” Derek concedes, because she’s not going to stop with her questions, whether it’s today or tomorrow, or hell, next week. “I….kind of met someone the other day.”

She arches a brow and says, “You met someone? Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

“Because I’ve been busy and it doesn’t matter anyway. It was at the store, his daughter was crying because she lost her Dad, and that was it really.”

“You should’ve gotten his number. I would’ve.”

“He’s probably married or at least taken,” Derek says. And they just met. It wasn’t like Derek was going to just ask him out, right there in the middle of the Lego aisle surrounded by parents all fighting for the perfect toy. 

“And how do you know that if you don’t ask? I swear, Derek,” Erica says.

Boyd walks in then with Isaac trailing behind him with more food to place on the table and asks, “Are we talking about Derek again?”

“Yes, and his lack of a love life, because he just won’t take his chances,” Erica replies. “Come on. You should just take your chances. You deserve to be happy this year.”

“It’s already too late. It’s not like I’ll meet him again,” Derek says. “Life doesn’t work that way. Now can we eat? And not have me be the topic of the conversation?”

“Fine,” she says, rolling her eyes. “We can talk about mine and Boyd’s wedding plans.”

Erica and Boyd got engaged a month ago on their three-year anniversary, and they haven’t even begun planning the wedding. Derek takes what is given to him, finally smiling at his friends and telling them to go ahead. 

\--

Derek doesn’t think he’ll see Stiles again. Beacon Hills may not be that big, but it still doesn’t mean he’ll ever run into Stiles, because that’s just not how Derek’s life works. They met that one time, Derek was attracted to Stiles, and that was all it was going to be. Just a small incident where he saw someone he was interested in, could see dating, that’s it. Despite what Erica tries to tell him whenever she can, that sometimes fate can happen, Christmas miracles, whatever, it won’t. 

But all of that flies out the window when he walks into the Sheriff’s department, a lunch bag in hand that has messy scrawl from his niece that says _Lunch for Mama_ on it in bright red sharpie. She had drawn on it before he dropped her off at daycare for the day, and asked him to take extra care to get it to her mother.

He’s walking to her desk when he catches something in the corner of his eye. When he goes to look, it’s to see Stiles leaning against one of the deputies’ desks – Parrish, Derek thinks it belongs to – with Olivia in his arms, trying to reach down to touch all the things on the desk. Stiles is trying to bat her hands away, grinning as he does so, and murmuring to her that she can’t just touch a police officer’s desk, there are important things on it.

Derek’s breath catches and he ends up running into someone, the lunch bag thankfully in no way able to get squashed. He looks forward again to see Laura grinning wide like she _won_ something.

“See something you like?” Laura asks.

“Your daughter helped make lunch,” he says instead, hoping to will away her questions, because he knows she saw him looking at Stiles. 

But fuck. Derek didn’t think he’d ever see him again. Derek wonders if Parrish is dating Stiles. He’s never paid attention to anyone Laura works with, instead just dropping by at times to deliver Laura lunch if she forgets it, or to drop off her kids at times when he knows she’s about to get off work soon and he has plans. 

He thinks he should’ve run into Stiles before, but maybe he never paid attention enough to notice him before. But he feels like he would’ve, _should’ve_ noticed someone like Stiles before. 

Laura raises her eyebrows, not buying it one bit, and takes her lunch from him. “Really? Because I see you looking over at Stiles.”

“I’m--” he goes to deny it, but ends up sighing. “Of course you know his name.”

“I’m surprised you never noticed him before,” she says.

“Is it because--” he starts, but doesn’t know if he wants to finish that thought. 

“Because what?” she asks. “C’mon, spit it out.”

“Is he dating Parrish?” Derek asks. “Is that why he comes here?”

Laura laughs at that, as if he just said the world’s best joke. “Oh, Derek. He’s the sheriff’s son.” She rolls her eyes and adds, “I need to get back to work.”

She walks away and never does tell him if Stiles is dating Parrish or not. Or if Stiles is married or dating someone else. Stiles _does_ have a daughter, so it’s completely plausible. 

Derek turns to leave, deciding not to approach Stiles, no matter how much he wants to. When he’s walking toward the exit, though, Olivia yells out, “Derek!”

It’s followed by Stiles saying the same thing, and Derek immediately turns around, not wanting to ignore either of them. Olivia is still in Stiles’ arms, a grin plastered on her face and a hand held up in an aborted wave. 

“Hey, Derek. What’re you doing here?” Stiles asks. 

Derek points over to where Laura’s office is and says, “Dropping off lunch to my sister.”

“ _Laura_ Hale is your sister?” Stiles asks then, glancing back quickly at her shut door. “You’re Derek Hale.” 

“I am.”

“I’m surprised I’ve never met you before Target. I’m here a lot, you know. Olivia loves seeing her Grandpa work. She wants to be like him when she grows up.” Stiles smiles then, brushing the hair away from his daughter’s face. “Right, Liv?” 

“Right!” Olivia nods enthusiastically. “I’m gonna take out bad guys when I’m a grown up!” 

“I guess we just never crossed paths yet,” Stiles says. “Well, we have an appointment to get to. Maybe we’ll run into each other again?”

“Yeah,” Derek says, feeling a little hopeful. 

“Bye, Derek!” Olivia shouts at the same time her dad says the same thing, both of them leaving out of the double doors. 

Derek stares after them, watching as Stiles opens the door to a blue car and straps his daughter into her booster seat, and can’t help but think about how Erica is going to have a field day with this. 

\--

She does, just like he thought she would, which is why he’s thankful he waited a few days before he says anything. She’s perched on the counter in the bookstore, the heel of her boots clunking against the wood every time she swings her legs. 

“Told you,” she says finally, after he gets done telling her about the other day. “‘Tis the season, Derek.”

He glares. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It _means_ , ‘tis the season, for Christmas miracles and maybe you getting laid for a change,” she says. “It may fix your grumpiness, who knows.”

“Erica,” he starts, only for her to cut him off.

“ _Please_ tell me you finally asked him out, since you met for a second time now.”

Derek looks away and mumbles, “I didn’t.”

“What was that?” Erica prods.

“I didn’t ask him out,” he says, louder. “He had to take his daughter to an appointment anyway. I didn’t want to keep them any longer.”

“Let me guess, you barely said anything at all,” Erica guesses, which is true. When Derek doesn’t say anything, she must take that as an answer, because she sighs and her smirk falls off her face. “Seriously, Derek. I love you. You’re the grumpy big bro I never had, and I love teasing you. It’s even more fun when Laura and Cora help. But I’m going to tell you this: you deserve some happiness.”

Derek looks away, noticing a big dent in one of the bookshelves that he needs to fix. He works at this bookstore, that he owns, and he’s writing his second book. He’s _fine_. He sighs, leaning back in his chair, the lunch on the counter laying forgotten now and growing cold by the second.

“I don’t know.”

“You know where to find him,” she says, “if you decide to do something.”

“What if he’s married?” Derek questions. “He has a daughter.”

“Did you see a ring on his finger?”

“No. But what if he has a girlfriend? Or a boyfriend?” 

“Well, you never know until you _ask_ ,” she says, rolling her eyes. “I swear, Derek.”

“I don’t know what you’re expecting me to do,” Derek says.

“Well, for starters, you can take your chances and talk to him for once,” she tells him. 

Derek tries to think how to respond to that, some variation he always does maybe of _I don’t know_ , but the bell on the front door jingles as a few people walk in. Erica sighs, the look on her face reading _Oh, Derek_ loud and clear. 

She points a finger at him, her expression making him keep his mouth shut as she mouths, _just try, please_. Derek nods and then watches as his friend leaves, his attention finally moving over to the two customers who are lingering by the non-fiction section looking confused. 

Derek gets up and heads over to them and asks them what they need help with.

\--

There’s a park near his house. Derek usually goes there every day to run. He’s been going to it almost every day since he moved into his apartment, taking the path that winds around the park and nearby forest. It’s usually quiet during the times he goes, when the kids are usually gone for the day and he doesn’t have to deal with so many people. 

It’s the last place he expects to run into Stiles and Olivia, because he’s been coming here for months now and not once did he ever see the two there. 

Derek’s running toward where the parking lot is, where the swings and the jungle gym are located, and catches sight of Stiles sitting on a swing with Olivia in his lap. Stiles is talking to her as he lazily kicks the ground to get started. Derek stops dead in his tracks, watching the two interact. 

Stiles is grinning as he looks down at his daughter, his arms held tightly around her little waist. She’s laughing at something that’s being said to her, patting her dad’s arms as if to say _swing faster_. Stiles places a kiss on the top of her head and pushes his feet against the ground harder until they’re finally really swinging. 

Olivia decides to look up then, taking in her surroundings, and sees Derek. Her entire face lights up, smacking her hands against her dad’s arms until Stiles looks up as well. When Stiles finally sees Derek, he shouts, “Hey, Derek! What’s up?”

“I was going for a run,” Derek answers, walking toward the pair. 

“Could’ve guessed that, but why here?” Stiles asks. 

“Come swing with us!” Olivia yells out excitably, squirming in her father’s arms like she’s about to jump right off so she can run to Derek. 

“I live near here,” Derek tells him, pointing a thumb over his shoulder in the general direction of where his apartment complex is. 

“We were just checking out this park, first time here. We just moved into an apartment nearby, right, Liv?” Stiles smiles, resting his head against the top of his daughter’s. “You should come swing with us, unless you have somewhere to be?”

Derek shakes his head, because all he was going to do was go home, heat up leftover food, and binge watch Game of Thrones. Derek sits down on the swing next to them and Olivia starts talking excitedly, telling him about what happened during daycare and that she’s learning a lot of new things. Stiles talks here and there, telling Derek about the macaroni frame that Olivia made and that she doesn’t have a picture in it yet.

“It has to be perfect,” Stiles tells him. “She hasn’t found the right picture yet.”

“Nope,” she says. “Christmas maybe.”

“Family Christmas photo of you, me and Grandpa, right?”

“Uncle Scott and Aunt Allison too!” Olivia says.

“And your cousins?” Stiles asks her, a soft smile playing at his lips. They look like the perfect little family, just the two of them, and Derek finds himself wanting to be a part of it. He’s always been content to just be in the background to everyone else, to be single and help out with everyone else’s kids, never quite seeing himself settling down and having a family.

But now, maybe. 

Before Derek realizes what he’s saying he asks, “What about her mother?” 

Stiles doesn’t look up, still looking down at Olivia. “Not here.” He sighs, slowing the swing down until his feet are hitting the ground and Olivia can jump off and run over to the jungle gym. She seems content to do so, darting over and jumping up until she reaches the slide. 

Derek looks back over to Stiles, at the slump in his shoulders. “Just you two?”

“Her mother, she thought it was a mistake and I didn’t, so she signed over all parental rights and now here we are,” Stiles answers quietly. “Wouldn’t change anything in the world, though.”

“She seems like a great kid,” Derek says. 

“She’s the best,” Stiles agrees, and then grabs ahold of Derek’s swing until it stops abruptly, Derek’s swing going out of whack until he ends up running into Stiles, their knees bumping. Stiles is grinning, though, and Derek feels his throat go dry and has the urge to kiss him. “Come on,” Stiles says then, “let’s go on the slide.”

“We’re too big for that.”

Stiles snorts. “Doesn’t stop me. Come on. Don’t tell me you haven’t gone down the slide with your nieces and nephews before.” 

Stiles grabs his hand and Derek lets himself be led.

\--

He doesn’t get the nerve to ask Stiles out this time, but he does end up exchanging numbers, Stiles grabbing his phone and declaring, “We’ve run into each other three times now. We should just have each other’s numbers, okay?” And Derek wasn’t able to say no, _didn’t_ want to say no at all.

He ends up telling Erica when she comes in to see him at the bookstore. She grins and claps him on the back, telling him she’s happy he finally decided to do something. 

Derek doesn’t hear from Stiles for a few days, and doesn’t even text him because he doesn’t even know what to say so he’s happy when he’s restocking the shelves with a recent shipment and his phone buzzes in his pocket. He pulls it out, thinking it’s going to be Laura or possibly Erica to ask if he wants to meet for coffee and go over wedding details, but it’s a text from Stiles. 

_What’re you doing tonight?_ it reads and Derek’s heart starts beating a tad faster, hope filling him. He wonders if it’s in the context of a date, or just friends. 

_I have no plans tonight_ , Derek sends back.

 _Would you like to come over? Handmade pizza, possible kitchen disasters, but fun all around. Y/N?_ He gets the reply almost instantly. 

Derek agrees.

\--

Both Olivia and Stiles are wearing aprons when Derek is greeted at the door. There’s flour in her hair and she’s grinning up at Derek, her hand reaching out to grab Derek by the pants so she can start tugging him inside. 

“We’re makin’ pizza,” she tells him as she leads him to the kitchen. 

“Liv, let him get comfortable first. He just got here,” Stiles says, ruffling her hair. 

“Fine,” she says. 

Derek takes his shoes off and sets them down on the rack by the door before he’s being led toward the kitchen again. The kitchen is a decent size for an apartment, but it still feels like a tight fit with all three of them in there, starting work on several pizzas. 

“She loves doing this,” Stiles says as he hoists her up on the stool he’s pushed toward the counter. “Pretty sure she got it from me, the mess and the love for any and all pizzas.”

Olivia starts rolling the dough that’s on the counter. There’s flour everywhere, in her hair, all over the counter, and all over her clothes but she looks happy. Stiles grabs Derek by his shirt and yanks a bit until Derek is moving closer to the counter. 

“Help, c’mon. Those who do not help, won’t get pizza. I hope you don’t mind getting messy, because I can guarantee that you’re going to be covered in flour and food by the end of the night.”

There’s flour streaked across Stiles’ face now, probably from when he was picking Olivia up and she smeared it on his face. Derek reaches out without thinking, eyes focused on the small part that’s near the corner of Stiles’ mouth, and tries to swipe it away with his thumb. Stiles freezes and looks at Derek, their eyes meeting. 

“You have, uh, flour all over you,” Derek points out, rather unhelpfully. His mouth feels dry and he’s afraid he’s going to do something stupid, like kiss Stiles and ruin everything. It’s not like this is a date, it can’t be if Stiles’ daughter is here. 

Stiles licks his lips. “Yeah? Did you get it?”

Derek shakes his head, moves his thumb until it sweeps just below Stiles’ bottom lip. He watches as Stiles swallows. He notices that they’re a lot closer than they were moments before and if he just leans in a few more inches, he can--

“Dad! Help me,” Olivia demands just then, breaking apart their moment. 

Derek steps away from Stiles, until they’re no longer a breath away from each other. There’s a blush staining Stiles’ cheeks, and Derek still wants to kiss him. 

But Olivia is trying to drag out all of the ingredients from the fridge and she’s two seconds away from making a mess on the tile. Stiles laughs as he picks up the packages of shredded cheese that are on the floor already.

“Liv, we already have a lot of this stuff out already. It’s on the counter. We just need to put it on the pizza now,” Stiles tells her as he sets the stuff on the counter and then picks her up. “See?”

“Oh,” she says. “But we didn’t have the cheese!”

“Nope, you’re right,” Stiles says with a grin. “You’re a good helper, right?”

She wriggles in his grasp, grinning. “I’m the best.”

“Now how about we finish the pizza, huh?”

They finish putting the pizza together and put it in the oven, and then Derek finds himself in the living room and Olivia is putting on Frozen. Derek looks over at Stiles, who is grinning so big Derek wonders if his face hurts.

“Frozen?”

“She’s caught what I like to call the Frozen Bug. She’s obsessed,” Stiles says. “You should see her bedroom. Everything is Frozen and I am unable to say no.”

“It’s the best movie in the world,” Olivia says with a nod, like it’s the most important piece of information she believes Derek should know. “Have you seen it?”

“I have. My nieces love it,” Derek answers. “Even my nephew.”

Olivia ends up crawling onto the couch after the movie has started, snuggling up against Derek’s side. Derek feels helpless as he wraps an arm around her and tucks her close. When he finally looks over at Stiles, who is sitting on the other side of the couch, it’s to see so much warmth in Stiles’ eyes that it just makes Derek feel like he’s slowly drowning. 

\--

Stiles calls when Derek is just getting in the door. It’s been a few nights since they’re pizza date, that Derek is still unsure was an _actual_ date or just a thing two friends do. Derek goes over to his friend’s house all the time for dinner, so it’s not it couldn’t be true, even if Derek hopes that it was a date. 

“Hey, so I was wondering if you wanted to get coffee?” Stiles asks when Derek answers. 

“When?” Derek asks. 

“Tomorrow? Olivia is going to be at Scott’s house for the day,” Stiles replies. “We can meet at the cafe near your bookstore.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I’ll have coffee with you tomorrow. Noon? I can close the store for a lunch break,” Derek says. 

“Okay, yeah. Noon. I’ll see you then,” Stiles says, and Derek could swear that he sounds almost _hopeful_. “It’s a date.”

“Tomorrow,” Derek says, and can’t stop thinking about a _date_.

“I have to go give Liv her bath, but I’ll see you tomorrow, Derek.”

“Good night, Stiles.”

“Night, Derek.” 

\--

There’s a cafe down the road from his bookstore, situated right at the corner and it’s small, but almost always brimming with too many people. They have good coffee and pastries, though, so it’s worth the often long lines. Today it’s not as busy, but Derek thinks it’s because the time. Their busiest hour tends to be around 1pm, when most businesses nearby take their lunch break.

Stiles is leaning against the building with his hands shoved into his coat pockets. He looks nervous as he stands there but he smiles when he sees Derek, waving a hand at him and yelling out, “Hey!”

“Hi,” Derek greets.

They go inside and order their coffee. Stiles finds them a table toward the back, where it’s the most quiet, for which Derek is thankful for. When they’re seated, Stiles finally speaks up again.

“So I hope I didn’t, you know,” Stiles waves a hand around, “say something wrong last night.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know. For calling this a date. When this probably isn’t. Well, a friend date, I guess. Two friends, going out for coffee, and talking. Friends.” Stiles sounds nervous and Derek reaches a hand out until it covers Stiles’. Stiles falls silent and finally looks back up at Derek.

“You didn’t say anything wrong,” Derek says. 

“I didn’t?” Stiles asks.

Derek shakes his head. “I, I’d like this to be that,” Derek says. “A date, if that’s what you want.”

“I do want that.”

“Yeah?” Derek laces their hands together and Stiles squeezes his hand. 

“Yeah, I do,” Stiles says. 

“Good, so it’s a date.” 

Stiles doesn’t let go of his hand the entire date and they end up sitting there for an hour, talking about everything from their friends to their family, and Derek doesn’t want to be anywhere else.

\--

They start spending more time together, whether it’s at the park or at Derek’s store, and Derek’s smiling so much more than usual that his friends and family start commenting on it. Erica always has that knowing look in her eye and says things like, “It’s your boy, isn’t it? Making you all happy like this? Good for you, Derek.” 

Derek doesn’t even know if they’re anything now, doesn’t know if he can say boyfriend yet or what, but he doesn’t want to question anything yet. They’re dating and he’s happy, and that’s all that matters right now. They can bother with labels later. 

Stiles is sitting on the counter in the bookstore while Derek is writing another chapter. There’s a lull in customers and Derek is using the time wisely, even if Stiles is a distraction. Stiles has been quiet for the past half hour though, immersed in a book he had pulled off the shelf.

“Would you like to go to a Christmas party?” Stiles eventually blurts out and Derek is pulled out of his focus, looking up at Stiles who is biting his bottom lip. It makes Derek want to tug him off the counter and into his lap and kiss him.

“You’re throwing a Christmas party?” Derek asks instead of _yes, I will_. 

“No, Scott and Allison are. It’s kind of this annual thing they’ve been doing ever since they got married.”

“Sure,” Derek says, nodding. “I’ll go. When is it?”

A smile breaks out on Stiles’ face, his nerves finally gone. “Saturday. I can text you the address and time to be there.”

“I’ll be there,” Derek promises. 

\--

Scott and Allison’s house is completely lit up for the holidays. There’s even a large Santa on the front lawn, waving his hand around slowly. Derek parks nearby and starts heading up to the door. He can hear people talking from the front porch and goes to ring the bell, when the door flies open and he’s greeted by a girl with dark curls, dimples and a baby in her arms. She’s grinning and saying, “Welcome! You must be Derek. We’ve heard a lot about you.”

Derek raises his eyebrows, but nods and says, “Derek Hale. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Allison McCall and this is Anthony,” she says as she leads him inside. “Everyone else is in the backyard.”

The backyard is completely full when they get back there. There’s music and lights and so many people, but Derek ignores all of that when he finally sees Stiles. Stiles who is talking animatedly with someone and laughing when the other speaks. 

“I’ll let you go talk to him,” Allison says and Derek finally tears his eyes away from Stiles, having completely forgotten she was there. She’s smiling, though, and simply shakes her head. 

When Derek finally walks up to Stiles, Stiles finally stops talking, turning all of his attention to Derek. “You came!” He nearly shouts and looks as if he’s about to go in for a hug, but stops himself short. “I’m happy you did.”

“You asked me,” Derek says. “So I came.”

Stiles’ smile softens. “Well, I’m glad. Anyway,” Stiles says and then turns to the man he was talking to. “Derek, this is Scott. And Scott, this is Derek.”

Scott holds a hand out and Derek shakes it. “Nice to finally meet the man that Stiles can’t seem to shut up about.”

Derek’s eyebrows raise and he wonders just how much Stiles does talk about him. 

Stiles makes cutting motions and Scott holds his hands up in surrender. “I need to go talk to Allison, but it was really nice to finally meet you and thanks for coming.”

Scott walks away and it just leaves the two of them standing there. Derek clears his throat and says, “Thanks for inviting me.”

“I’m glad you came,” Stiles says. “Olivia will be, too. She was happy when I told her.”

Derek smiles at that and ends up pulling Stiles close until they’re hugging, staying like that until Olivia ends up running over to them, demanding attention from Derek. He gives her a piggyback ride around the yard and grabs some food once it’s ready, sitting on a chair with Olivia on his lap, her own plate of food in her hands. Derek helps her here and there when she needs it, but she’s a pretty independent kid, holding her own food without dropping anything.

Derek catches Stiles looking at him here and there. He sees Scott, who Stiles is talking to again, do the same. Each time Scott looks like he can’t even believe it, but he looks happy all the same. Derek can’t put a read on Stiles’ face, but he always looks like he’s two seconds away from moving over to them or saying something, or both. And Derek just wants to tell him to come over to them, sit next to them, and keep them company.

When it’s getting late, Stiles ends up putting Olivia to bed with the other kids and they meet by the front door. Stiles moves close until he’s resting his head against Derek’s shoulder, not saying a word. 

“You’re really good with her,” Stiles finally says, breaking the silence. “I don’t know how you do it, or why you’re even here. I’m a single dad, but…” Stiles’ hand fists into Derek’s shirt.

“I don’t care that you have a kid,” Derek tells him, because he doesn’t. Maybe another time he’d be afraid to get close to someone who did, afraid of that level of commitment but when he looks at Stiles, all he sees is _home_. “I really like you, Stiles.”

Derek hasn’t felt this happy in a long time. 

Stiles raises his head until they’re looking each other in the eye. There’s so much emotion in Stiles’ eyes that Derek wants to ask him what he’s thinking right this second, but refrains. 

“I really like you, too, you know,” Stiles says softly. 

Someone nearby shouts, “look, they’re standing under mistletoe!” and someone else says, “that means you need to kiss!” and other various shouts of encouragement. Derek looks up to see that they really are and when he meets Stiles’ eyes again, it’s to see Stiles’ eyes trained on his mouth. Stiles licks his lips before leaning in and finally, _finally_ kissing Derek.

Derek tightens his arms around Stiles’ waist and kisses back, opening up when Stiles licks into his mouth. Derek makes a noise, his hands moving to Stiles’ hips where he tries to tug Stiles even closer, kissing him back. Stiles rakes his hands through Derek’s hair, tugging at it when Derek nips at his bottom lip. Derek moans into the kiss, chasing Stiles’ lips when he goes to pull away. 

“Fuck,” Stiles whispers against his mouth, breathing roughly. “You’re going to kill me.”

“I’ve been wanting to kiss you ever since we met,” Derek confesses, placing a kiss on the corner of Stiles’ mouth. 

Stiles is still carding his fingers through Derek’s hair and they’re still standing close. Derek wants to kiss him again, didn’t want to stop to begin with. He closes the distance and kiss Stiles again, and they’re met with catcalls.

Derek pulls away. He forgot there were others in the room, his focus completely on Stiles. Stiles is blushing furiously and everyone in the room is grinning at them.

“As much as I love that you’re happy, Stiles,” Scott says. “Please move this elsewhere if you two are going to make out.”

“I should get going,” Derek says. “But we should go to dinner tomorrow.”

“Are you asking me out on a date, Derek Hale?” Stiles asks.

“We’ve been on a date before,” Derek points out.

“This time you’re asking, or I’m not showing up at your bookstore and dragging you out to lunch or the cafe,” Stiles points out.

Derek shakes his head, but doesn’t disagree. “I’m asking you out to dinner, Stiles,” he says. “Yes or no?”

“You’d be stupid if you thought I’d say no,” Stiles says.

Derek huffs out a laugh. “So yes? Dinner tomorrow, I’ll pick you up at eight?”

Stiles kisses him one last time, lingering for a few minutes. When Stiles pulls away he says, “See you tomorrow.”

\--

Derek shows up early and he feels nervous as he walks up the path to Stiles’ front door. They’ve been talking all day off and on, about the random things like what Olivia drew today in her sketch pad or something funny that happened at Derek’s store. They haven’t talked about the date, except for when Stiles had said he couldn’t wait to see Derek later that night. 

When Stiles opens the door, Derek’s nerves fly out the window. Stiles barely says hello before Derek is pressing him against the door and kissing him until they’re forced to break away for air. Stiles’ lips are kiss swollen and Derek’s about to say fuck the dinner, how about we stay inside instead?

“Dinner?” Stiles croaks out, his hands fisted in Derek’s shirt. “We should go get dinner.”

Derek nods. “Nothing fancy,” he says. “Thought we could go to that one diner in town that serves good food?” 

“Sounds perfect.” 

The diner is busy when they get there, but they’re able to get a booth right away. Stiles immediately hooks his leg with Derek’s underneath the table as soon as they sit down, and Derek smiles down at the menu in his hands. 

“That was some way to say hello,” Stiles says once they’ve ordered.

“Sorry,” Derek says. “I just couldn’t stop thinking about you all day and when I saw you…”

Stiles smirks. “Just couldn’t help yourself?”

Derek swallows, nodding. “Yeah, I couldn’t.”

“S’okay,” Stiles says. “I couldn’t either.”

The dinner goes well, the food is good and they spend most of it laughing as they talk about any and everything. Derek’s chest feels tight when he looks over at Stiles as they’re headed back to Stiles’ house, at his eyes shut and the smile on his face and Derek can’t help but think about how he’s pretty sure he’s falling for Stiles. 

Derek parks the car and Stiles says, “You should come inside.”

“Okay,” Derek says, and lets himself be led indoors. The front door is barely shut before Derek is pressing Stiles against it, his mouth hot on Stiles’. 

When Derek picks him up, Stiles gasps into his mouth and says, “God that’s hot.”

“Shut up, Stiles,” Derek mumbles into his mouth, quickly silencing him.

“No, seriously we can,” Stiles says as soon as they break away, but Derek silences him with more kissing and eventually Stiles seems to forget what he was going to say to begin with.

They make it to the bedroom and Derek deposits Stiles on the bed, where they start shedding each other’s clothes. Derek unbuttons Stiles’ top, kisses every inch of skin that gets revealed to him, until he reaches the waistband of Stiles’ jeans. Derek undoes the button and zipper, tugging Stiles’ pants and underwear down until Stiles is finally laid out, naked and beautiful, on the bed. 

“Jesus, Derek,” Stiles says, moving a hand to thread through Derek’s hair. Stiles tugs a bit when Derek licks up his length. “You’re wearing too many clothes.”

Stiles sits up and reaches out to tug off Derek’s shirt and then start unbuttoning his jeans, trying to push them down. Derek stands up to help, taking them off and throwing them across the room. They end up hitting something, a crash happening somewhere in the room and Stiles laughs against his mouth. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Stiles assures him, pulling him back into a heated kiss. 

Derek pushes Stiles back down on the bed, groaning at the feel of skin against skin. Derek rolls his hips against Stiles’.

Stiles breaks away from the kiss with a hissed out swear, wrapping a leg around Derek’s hips and thrusting up. 

“God I want,” Derek says, sucking a bruise against Stiles’ neck. “I want to fuck you.”

“Yes, _yes_.” Stiles nods, trying to pull Derek back in for more kisses, but they end up bumping their heads together. Stiles laughs, rubbing at his head and muttering ow and Derek does much the same. “Wow that totally killed the mood.”

“No,” Derek says, kissing him. “Hurt, but no, didn’t kill the mood.”

“Good,” Stiles says.

Derek starts kissing down Stiles’ chest, until he reaches Stiles’ dick. He licks up the shaft before going down, Stiles hands immediately grabbing his hair, but not tugging. Derek pulls off and asks, “Lube?”

Stiles flails a hand toward the end table to the right. Derek grabs it and takes his time opening Stiles up slowly, loving the sounds that come out of his mouth. When Derek finally pushes in, Stiles ends up tossing his head back and revealing the long stretch of his neck. Derek licks up the length of it until he reaches Stiles’ mouth, kissing him deeply.

“You feel good,” Derek says.

“And you need to _move_ ,” Stiles responds, voice shaky with pleasure. 

Derek thrusts then, Stiles’ gasp turning into a moan. Derek grabs his hand, lacing their fingers together before holding Stiles’ hand above his head and thrusting harder. 

“God, yeah, Derek,” Stiles says, his hand squeezing Derek’s. 

Derek kisses him, swallowing Stiles’ moans and getting lost in the feel of Stiles. When Stiles comes, it’s with Derek’s name on his lips and his hand in Derek’s gripping tight. Derek doesn’t last much longer after that, a few more thrusts and he’s coming and Stiles kisses him through it. 

Derek falls on top of him before rolling over. They’re both a mess and Derek eventually gets up to get a wet washcloth to clean them both off. Stiles is grinning and looking happy as he tugs Derek back into the bed.

Derek wraps his arms around Stiles and tugs him close, until Derek is the big spoon.

Derek falls asleep with a smile on his face. 

\--

It’s a few days away from Christmas and the bookstore is busy. There are too many people asking too many questions and Derek keeps getting pulled into too many directions. He has to kick out one kid who almost breaks something in the store and who only seems like he’s looking for trouble instead of actually buying something. The kid leaves quickly, looking terrified of Derek. 

Derek’s just heading back to the counter when the bell on the door chimes and Stiles and Olivia are walking in. Stiles is looking between the kid who is outside and Derek and he looks like he’s about to laugh.

“What happened there?” Stiles asks.

“That kid was looking for trouble,” Derek says. “He was causing too many problems in here.”

“And you kicked him out, just like that?”

“Yep.”

Stiles laughs then, letting go of Olivia’s hand so she can go over to Derek finally. “He looks like he was about two seconds away from pissing his pants.”

Derek smirks. “Good. Maybe he’ll learn to not be a pain in the ass.”

Stiles shakes his head and leans down to peck Derek on the lips. “You able to help me find something for a few gifts this year?” Stiles asks. 

“We’re getting books for Allison and my cousins!” Olivia says. 

Derek picks her up and sits her down on his lap. “Oh really?” Derek asks. “What kind of books?”

“Allison likes bows and arrows!” Olivia says. “And I know one of my cousins wants that Maze book.”

“The Maze Runner?” Derek asks. “You’re in luck, I put that one aside just for you.”

“Really?” she asks, twisting around until she’s able to look at him better.

“Really, really,” Derek says.

Olivia grins, patting him on the face. “You’re the best.”

Derek laughs and starts tickling her until she hops off his lap and runs toward where Stiles is. He’s looking at the section that Derek knows will most likely have archery books in them. Olivia jumps on him and Stiles lets out a grunt. He rests a hand on the top of her head and looks down at her in amusement. 

“What’s up, my little padawan?” Stiles asks her. 

“We got the Maze book!” she exclaims excitedly. “Did you find the bow and arrow book yet?”

“Not yet, but I think I need Derek’s help, isn’t that right?”

Olivia nods. “Help us find the book!” she says, looking over her shoulder at Derek.

Derek starts helping and eventually finds a book that’s a story about a huntress. Stiles told him once that Allison likes to do this as a hobby and he’s pretty sure she’d like this one. Stiles kisses him quick and chaste after he pays, saying thank you. He even gets a kiss on the cheek from Olivia and another pat on the cheek.

“Thank you,” she says sweetly. 

“No problem, Liv,” he says and then watches as they both leave. 

\--

It’s two days before Christmas Eve and he’s at Stiles’, cuddled between Stiles and Olivia. They’re watching the Grinch and Olivia keeps nodding off every now and then and he’s pretty sure she’ll be fast asleep soon. Stiles has a hand resting against Derek’s stomach, right underneath his shirt and his fingers keep sweeping against his skin. 

Derek wouldn’t trade any of this for the world, loves being right where he is and feels a surge of warmth rush through him. 

“Hey, Stiles?” Derek asks softly.

“Hmm?” Stiles asks.

“Would you,” Derek starts but then stops, taking a breath before continuing. “My parents have a party the day before Christmas. It’s just my family and I, but I was wondering if you and Olivia would like to go?”

Stiles looks up then. “Are you asking if we want to meet your family?” 

Derek leans in and kisses him, brushing a finger against Stiles’ cheek. “I’m asking if you and your daughter would like to come spend Christmas Eve with my family and meet them. I want you two to meet them.”

Stiles smiles softly and kisses Derek again before saying, “Yeah, okay. We’d love to.”

Derek can’t wipe the smile off his face the rest of the night.

\--

The Hale house is lit up in its usual bright glory. It’s always lit with way too many lights every year, his Dad doing what he usually does and making sure it’s pretty covered. You can practically see it from the road and Olivia has her face pressed against the window in the backseat, a look of awe on her face.

“It’s so pretty,” she says as they make their way up the driveway.

Everyone else’s cars are already here, so that means they’re the last to show up.

“My Dad likes to make sure there are plenty of Christmas lights,” Derek tells her.

“Your Daddy is awesome!” she informs him. “It’s pretty! I like it!”

“You’ll have to tell him Liv,” Stiles tells her. “I bet he’d like to know you like the lights.”

They barely make it up the porch steps before the door is opening up wide, Cora standing there with her hands on her hips and a couple kids standing behind her, like a mini shield or little minions. 

“So _this_ is Stiles!” Cora says. “I was wondering if we’d ever meet him!”

Olivia is hiding behind Derek and Stiles, a hand on holding onto each other their legs, and she’s peering between them at Cora. 

Cora looks down at her, noticing her unusual shyness. “Hey there, little one.” 

Laura shows up then, her youngest trailing behind her. “Hey, Olivia,” Laura greets her. 

“Officer Hale!” Olivia says, her shyness going away. “You know Der?”

Laura nods, crouching down until she’s eye level with her. “He’s my little brother.”

“I didn’t know that! That’s so cool,” Olivia says. “Derek is great!”

“He is,” Laura agrees. “How about we go inside? We’re about to have dinner soon.”

“Can I meet your Daddy? I want to tell him I think his lights are pretty!” Olivia says, grabbing hold of Laura’s hand.

Laura laughs as she starts leading Olivia inside. “You bet.”

“You know,” Cora says when they’re inside, as Derek hangs up both his and Stiles’ jacket. “I never thought I’d see this. But look at you. You’re happy, aren’t you?”

Derek ducks his head, glad that Stiles had already walked away to follow after Olivia and Laura. “Yeah, I’m happy.”

“Good,” Cora says. “But if he hurts you, I’ll make him pay. But I bet that kid of his wouldn’t let him live it down either. So I think we’re good.”

Derek lets out a laugh, hugging his little sister and feeling thankful for everything he’s surrounded by. 

\--

They have dinner and then they all sit around and talk. His parents seem to love Stiles and Olivia, his Dad already teaching Olivia all sorts of things and treating her just like he does his grandkids. Stiles and Laura are in the kitchen making cookies, and the kids are running around and playing. Derek is in the living room, sitting on the couch and deep in thought. The television is playing a Christmas movie, but he isn’t paying a lot of attention to it.

He’s pulled out of his thoughts when his mom sits down next to him.

“You look so happy,” Talia says, cupping his cheek. “It’s a good look on you.” 

Derek leans into her touch, closing his eyes. “I am, mom. I’m, god, I’m really happy.”

“He has a kid,” she points out. “That’s a pretty big commitment, Derek.”

Derek nods, swallowing. Because it is, but Derek doesn’t care. He’s glad they’re in his life and he doesn’t want to let them go.

“She’s a great kid,” Derek says softly. “And I think I love him.”

Talia’s eyes crinkle as she smiles. “I’m happy for you, Derek. You deserve it.”

Olivia is running around with Derek’s nieces and nephews, laughing as she darts around the corner until she reaches the kitchen, where Derek knows Stiles is at. 

“She may not be my kid,” Derek starts. 

“But it’s like she really is,” his mother says softly. “You have that look in your eye, just like your dad looks ever since you and your sisters were born, like they’re the center of your universe. I’m proud of you, Derek.”

Derek doesn’t know what to say to that, not really, so he hugs his mom tight and whispers, “Thank you.”

She pats him on the back and says, “It’s not problem, sweetie. I’m just speaking the truth. Now you go check up on them. Make sure your sisters aren’t tormenting him with questions.”

Derek heads off toward the kitchen, to find Stiles laughing and mixing cookie batter together. Olivia is right by his side with an arm around her dad’s leg and poking Derek’s niece in the side and chattering about how the grown ups are making chocolate chip cookies. 

Derek can’t stop staring at them and his heart feels like it’s ready to burst. He wonders if this is what it feels like to be in love, an overwhelming feeling like he can’t breathe. Because right now, all he wants to do is be there for Stiles and his daughter for the rest of his life, for as long as they’ll have him. 

When Stiles catches him looking he asks, “What’s up?” 

Derek’s throat feels dry and he tries to swallow before he says, “Nothing, just realizing how happy I am right now.”

“Yeah? And why’s that?” Stiles asks, a smile playing at his lips.

“It’s Christmas Eve and everyone I care about is here right now,” he replies, because he doesn’t want to say _I love you_ just yet. He doesn’t want to scare Stiles off, because they haven’t been dating long, and just about a week ago they finally had their first kiss.

Even if he feels like he is falling in love with Stiles, he’ll wait, until he knows it’s the right time. 

Stiles crooks a finger. “C’mere.”

Derek’s arms wrap around his waist immediately, resting his forehead against Stiles’.

“I’m really happy, too,” Stiles says. 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Now help us make these cookies.”

\--

Derek’s Dad is sitting on the floor with all the kid’s sitting near him while he tells stories. The fireplace is lit and his Dad looks so happy, telling stories about Santa Claus and Rudolph. Derek is leaning against the wall and listening to the stories, the same ones his Dad tells every year ever since Derek himself was a little kid. He doesn’t think he’ll ever grow tired of listening to them, the way his Dad puts everything into them, like it’s important how he tells them, no matter how many times he has.

“Hey,” Stiles says as he walks up to him. 

Derek grabs his hand and pulls him close, until Stiles is leaning against him. 

“Story time?” Stiles asks. 

Derek nods. “Every year he tells these stories.”

“Family tradition then.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“They’re good stories. Olivia is enjoying herself.”

“I’ve heard them every year since I was a kid, but I never get tired of hearing them.” 

“You have a great family, Derek.”

Derek smiles at that, leaning in until they’re a breath away. “So do you,” Derek says against his mouth. “You’re a great father and you have a wonderful kid.”

Stiles brushes a kiss against his mouth, smiling into it. “Can I tell you something?”

“What?” Derek asks.

“I think I’m falling in love with you,” Stiles confesses.

Derek’s breath catches and he thinks that’s the best thing he’s ever heard Stiles say. “Think I’m falling in love with you, too.”

Stiles looks so happy with that confession, his smile so bright, and Derek thinks he’d give anything to make sure Stiles is always this happy.

“I’m happy,” Stiles says. “Best Christmas ever.”

“Me too.” Derek kisses him again and again, until Olivia is tugging on their pants and saying that they need to get home soon before Santa comes.

Stiles rests his forehead against Derek’s. “You should come home with us.”

“Are you sure, Stiles?”

Stiles grabs Derek’s hand. “I’m sure. I want to wake up on Christmas next to you.” 

And Derek, well. Derek really wants that too.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm [darkenednights](http://www.darkenednights.tumblr.com) on tumblr!


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